Art of wrapping packages



Oct. 6, 1925. I 1,556,056

. I c 5. WEEKS ART OF WRAPPING PACKAGES Filed Dec. 21, 1920 14 mm! on m Z I w I ATTORNEY.

' Patented Oct, 6, 1925.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLIE S. WEEKS, OF SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR. T0 WEEKS EIil'GI" .NEEBING CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK;

ART OF 'RAPPING PACKAGES.

Application filed December 21, 1920. Serial No. 432,168.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES S. Wrens,

a citizen of the United States, residing at South Orange, county of Essex, and State 5. of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Art of Wrappin Packages, of which the following is a speci cation.

This invention pertains to the art of encasing an article within a wrapper, and it is directed, more specifically, to an improvement in the mode of encasing a bottleor other container, with or without an accompanyingcircular or other insert,'by the direct application-thereto of a wrapper composed of paper or otherflpliable material, whereby the cost of a sti carton and the attendant labor of encasing the package within such carton may be avoided, thus attaining economy of time andlabor in wrapping a package, and attaining, also, a form which lends individuality to said package and is acceptable to the trade.

In ,this art it is desirable, amon other thin to a l the wra per in suc manner %l iiit thd dn d fold, at one or both ends of the package, simulates the appearance of a label separately applied to said end; further, to so distribute the material of the end fold as to appreciably stifl'en or stay the corners of theackage at the end thereof, thereby reclu ing to a substantial extent that ten ency of a non-reinforced wrapper to break down or collapse at the corners when packing the wrapped packages for shipment or storage or when handling the same; and, further, to so position the plies or folds of the material composing said end fold as to attain smooth surfaces for-the required contact of said surfaces in the act of sealing said end fold.

Vith these ends in view, the invention, in one aspect thereof, is embodied in an end closure formed by folding the wrapper in a. desired manner, a characteristic feature beingfthe provision of printed matter on the arts or folds of said end closures whereby t e (effect is gained of an and label, portions of which extend to the side or sides of the wrapper so as to simulate the appearance of a label applied separately to the package.

The end closure is constituted by a de sired folding of the material composing the wrapper, one or both ends'of which 'protrade in tubular form beyond the corresponding end or ends of the package. Said end closure embodies a plurality of folds one or more of which in the manipulation j of the material extend outwardly with'r o0 spect to a side or sides of the package, said f outwardly extendin fold or folds being turned parallel to t e side or sides of'the" wrapper and preferably afiixed thereto, and the exposed end fold and, preferably, tllcbS side fold or folds, being provided with the l aforesaid printed matter in simulation of the label.

The preferred mode of procedure which" constitutes the method in its entirety of encasing an article within'a wra per'according to this invention includes tlie following operations, which may be performcdrnanually or mechanicallyf-Positioning the article or container, with or without a circular or other insert, within a wrapper at least one end of which is tubular, which tubular end rotrudes beyond the corres onding end of t e article or container; 'fo ding a side portion of said tubular protruding wrapperf &

end inwardl with respect to said article or container, t ereby producing an inwardly 1 folded flap, which is thus interiorly positioned in the com letedend closure,.and leaving in an unfolded condition a second side flap, hereafter termed a. sealing flap, and two corner flaps; next fdlding one or both corner flaps in outward directions with respect to the infolded flap, suclr outward folding of one or both flaps causing the same to project be ond the limit of the package at one or hot sides thereof, and concurrently with said outward foldin of one or both corner flaps the sealing ap is folded in ward] with respect to the first mentionedside up, the latter havin been initially turned inward as descri then bending one or both corner fiaps around the corners of the package at the end thereof, such bending of the corner flap or flaps serving to position the same into lapping contact with the sides of the package on the exterior surface thereof, and ailixin the sealin flap and one or both corner aps in fixe relation to the wrapper.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the followin description taken in connection with the rawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a wrapper'in an early stageof its application to an article or a container of one kind or another.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the inward folding of a part of the protruding tubular end of the wrapper.

Figure 3 is a perspective view with the end portion of the wrapper folded to produce the laterally-extending corner flaps and the scaling flap, the said flaps bein partially folded toward the final stages and illustrating the label effect desired to be obtained.

Figure 4 is a perspective view with the sealing flap in the final position, but with the two corner [laps in extended relation to the respective sides of the wrapper.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a wrapped package, illustratin the effect of a label separately applied to t e package by an apparent extension of the ends of said label around the corners of the package.

Figure 6 is a detail cross section through a corner of the folded wrapper showing the mode of folding the material with a view to increasing the stiffness of the wrapper at the res peotive corners thereof.

The wrapper A is initially a flat sheet of rectan ular material, such as paper, the same having any desired matter printed thereon, which matter includes a simulated label, indicated at I), printed upon that portion of the wrapper which in this invention constitutes the end closure of the package. Of course, the printed matter on the wrapper is wholly immaterial, but to enhance the label etlect at the closed end of the packs e it is desirable in some instances to print the label subject matter, including the ornamentation, on the wrapper,

The wrapper A is folded around the container, or other desired article generally rec tangular in form and with flat sides, in a manner for the tubular end of the Wrapperv to protrude at c in Figure 1 for an appreciable and definite distance beyond the corresponding end of the article or container, the side edges of the wrapper being overlapped and sealed to produce a lap or seam d extending lengthwise of the wrapper and located at any desired point between the 0pposite sides or at a corner of the resulting package, see Figure 1.

At the protruding tubular end of the wrapper, one side portion at the lap or seam d is now pressed inwardly across the hitherto open tubular end of said wrapper, producing a side flap 6, the form and dimensions of which are such as to close, partially or wholly, said open end, see Fi re 2.

The infolding of said flap e leaves theother side f and the corners g h in protruding relation to said flap e, see Figure 2, but the first infolding operation doubles the material at the two corner portions 9 each corner portion 9 or it being formed part by an extension of that portion of the wrapper lying in the plane of one narrow side of the package and in part by the infolded material; in other words, each portion 9 it consists of two plies in lapping r e- -lation, the free edge of one of said plies being substantially in contact with the sealin: Hap f, see Figure 2.

Prior to the described fiist folding operation, or it may be subsequently thereto, spots i, j, of paste or other adhesive are applied to flap f as indicated in vFigure 2, and other spots in of adhesive are applied to the wrapper at the narrow sides of the package. When the material of the tubularprotruding end is infolded as in Figure 2, the doubled over plies of material at the respective corners g h are sealed'by; the spots 2' of adhesive, the latter being partially concealed by the doubled over material, wh .reby the two plies of material at each corner g or It are adhesirely secured.

The double thickness of material at thecorners y it and the sealing {la f'are'now folded as shown in Figure 3. The doubled;

material at each corner g, h, is folded on the 1 line l in Figure 2, resulting in corner flapsi y it, one at each side, said corner flaps g h, extending outwardly with respect to the infolderl flap e and the sealing flap in other words, said corner flaps g h are not infolded to lie between the two said flaps c, as has been the practice hitherto.-

lhe outward folding of the material to produce the laterally extending corner flaps g it draws upon the sealing flapf as shown in Figpre 3 so as to position it toward con tact with the infold e, the uncovered spots of adhesive 5 j aflixing the flap to and against the flap c, as shown in i re 4 suitable premure being applied-to etgiit the sealing operation.

The sealing flap f is oh such form and dimensions that it substantially covers the area of the end of the package, the two'fia s e 1 when sealed together constituting the end closure for the wra r.

At this stage, the fol dfd flaps g h 0c cupy positions in laterally extended relation to and be end the narrow sides of the package, at t e end thereof, see Fi re 4, the

rintin b in imitation of the l 1 ap mg in, I ll upon the sea-l' flap an the two corner fiaps' g h. a heoperation of scaling the wrapper is completed by bending the flaps g k around the corners of the package, and affixing said corner flaps by the spots in of adhesive to the respective sides of the package, pressure being suitably applied to elfect the bending of the doubled material composing the corner flaps and to seal said doubled corner flaps g h to the wrapper at the narrow sides of the resulting package.

Several important functions are attained by first folding the doubled material constituting the corner flaps g It so as to extend said corner flaps outwardly beyond the narrow sides of the package, and thereafter bending said corner flaps g it into substantially parallel relation to the narrow sides of said packa e.

Such operation oubles the cross sectional thickness of the material at each corner as shown in Figure 6, the effect of which is to materially stiffen the corner, the additional material acting as a stay, whereby the corners are reinforced to a substantial extent with a-view to precluding the corners from crushing down or collapsing, an advantage especially desirable in a package the interior of which is free from the stifl'enin afforded by a carton or a paste board lining. Again, the end closure is free from folded material interposed between the end flap e and sealing flap f, the surfaces of which re main in a smooth condition for the spread of the adhesive and for the application of the pressure required to affix the sealing flap to the end flap. Furthermore, the wra per is or can be printed on that portion w ich constitutes the sealing flap to present the appearance of a label upon the end closure 0 the package, the sealin flap having a continuous surface undivi ed by seam d. By extending the label printin to the portions of the wrapper forming the exteriorly folded corner flaps g h, the label effect is increased to a marked extent for the reason that the sealing flap, and the corner flaps g h form a continuous surface substantially covering the end and extending around the corners and onto opposite sides of the package. Hence such an end closure presents to the eye the a pearance of a label separately applied an pasted around the corners of the package.

Havin thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A package wrapper of tubular form having an undivided external end closure integral therewith and covering substantially the entire end of the package, said end closure having reinforcing flaps of plural thickness extending therefrom and folded toward the adjacent exterior sides of the package.

A package wrapper of sheet material and of tubular form, having an undivided external end closure covering substantially the entire end of the package, with a reinforcing flap of multiple layers extending therefrom, the outermost layer being an extension of the sheet material of said undivided end closure.

3. A package wrapper having a body portion of tubular form and an undivided external end closure bearing the similacrurn of a label, said end closure having reinforcing flaps of multiple thickness integral with the body and with the end closure of the wrapper, said flaps being folded toward the exterior sides of the package adjacent said end closure.

4. A package wrapper of tubular form, having integral therewith an undivided external end closure covering substantially the entire end of the package and bearing the imprint of a label, with a reinforcing flap of more than one thickness extending from said end closure and secured to an exterior side of the package.

5. The method of wrapping a package of substantially rectangular form which comprises, folding sheet material into a substantially rectangular polyhedron, substantially covering the end of the package by folding a portion of an undivided side of the material over the end of the package so as to form an undivided surface, folding portions of those opposite sides which are adjacent the side first folded to extend outwardly as reinforcing flaps, and folding said reinforcing flaps toward the sides of the package.

6. The method of wrapping a package of substantially rectangular form' which comprises, folding a rectangular sheet of material having continuous edges into a substantially rectangular polyhedron, substantially closing the end opening with an appropriate portion of a side thereof, covering said end-closing ortion with a similar portion of an undivided side to form an undivided surface over substantially the entire end of the package, and folding the flaps thus formed toward the sides of the package.

7. The method of wrapping a package of rectangular form which comprises, folding sheet material into a rectangular polyhedron, substantially closing the end opening with an appropriate portion of a side there of, folding inwardly portions of the sides of the wrapped material adjacent thereto along a line running diagonally across said portions, substantially covering the folded portion of the first mentioned side with a portion of the opposie side, and smoothing out the diagonally folded portions as extending flaps and securing said flaps to sides of the package.

-8. The method of wrappin which comprises, partially enc osing an article with sheet material bearing the simulacrum of a label on an undivided portion a package thereof, forming a tubular end extension of said label portion and folding said label portion to form an undivided exterior end closure and reinforcing flaps extending therefrom ad ted to be secured to sides of the package.

9. The method of wreppin which comprises, partially enc osing an article with sheet material bearing the simulaa package crum of a label on an undivided portion 10 thereof, for-min a tubular end extension of said label portion, and folding said label extension to give a continuous surface substantially covering the end and extending on to opposite sides of the package. 15 In testimony whereof I have hereto signed my name this 17th day of December, 1920.

CHARLES S. WEEKS.

crum of a label on an undivided portion 10 thereof, formin a tubular end extension of said label portion, and folding said label extension to give a continuous surface sub stantially covering the end and extending package.

9. The method of Wrappin a package which comprises, partially enclosing an article with sheet material bearing the simulaon to opposite sides of the package. 15 In testimony whereof I have hereto signed my name this 17th day of December, 1920.

CHARLES S. WEEKS.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,556,056, granted October 6, 1925. upon the application of Charles S. Weeks, of South Orange, New Jersey, for an improvement in The Art of \Vrapping Packages, an error appears in the printed Specification requiring correction as follows: Page 3, after line 52 insert the paragraph Although I have shown and described the two corner flaps as standing outwardly and sealed to the respective sides of the package, it will be understood t t I reserve the right to infolcl the material of one corner flap and ecu-tend outwardly the mo,- temol of the other co'r'ner flap; and t at the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent ()fiice.

Signed and sealed this 15th day of December, A. D. 1925.

[SEAL] WM. A. KINNAN,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,556,056, granted October fi, 1925, upon the application of Charles S. WVeeks, of South Orange, New Jersey, for an improvement in The Art of \Vrapping Packages, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 3, after line 52 insert the paragraph- 4 Although I have shown and ct'es'cribed the two corner flaps as standing out hardly and aealed to the respective sides 0/ the package, it will be understood that I reserve the right to infold the material of one earner flap and extend outwardly the material of the other comer flap," and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 15th day of December, A. D. 1925.

[BEA'LJ WM. A. KINNAN,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

